The disclosure relates generally to a medical device and methods of use and, more specifically, to a short-wave infrared device capable of providing images and aiding in diagnosing of maladies, for example, within a patient's ear.
Otitis media, a range of inflammatory conditions of the middle ear, is the second most common illness diagnosed in children. However, identifying the presence of middle-ear fluid is challenging in pediatric patients, resulting in a high rate of over-diagnosis and indiscriminant use of antibiotics. In addition to otitis media, challenges in monitoring the ossicular chain and/or cholesteatoma extension in the middle ear of a patient may lead to the patient experiencing hearing loss without proper diagnosis.